Since the 2017-18 series, things have gone Australia’s way when it comes to The Ashes series. The Aussies claimed a 4-0 win on that occasion and they then visited England in 2019 when a drawn series saw the Baggy Greens retain the urn before another 4-0 triumph Down Under. Now comes a chance for England to wrest back control of matters.
The bookmakers anticipate a close encounter over the five Tests and much rests on the clash at Edgbaston where both teams will want to get the upper hand. The advantage that England have is that they can prepare a pitch exactly how they want, with some experienced players within the ranks that can potentially help them succeed.
Ben Stokes isn’t just the captain but the player who can deliver with bat and ball. Since taking over the skipper role from Joe Root, he has been an unmitigated success and will hope that Root is able to score the runs to cause problems. However, the home side have been dealt a few difficulties and that includes the injury to spin bowler Jack Leach.
Leach is the only bowler to have played in every Test since Brendon McCullum took charge of the England side last summer, although Australia have similar issues and it’s questionable as to whether Josh Hazlewood will be 100%, while there might be an over-reliance on Pat Cummins who leads his team into battle here.
There’s no greater cricket rivalry than the Ashes, with England and Australia getting ready for the 2019 series which takes place between 1 August and 16 September.
England will be smarting after getting thrashed 4-0 in the 2017-18 Test Series, although it’s now clear that home advantage is playing a massive part in the outcome of results and it’s the hosts who have been installed as favourites to regain the famous miniature urn.
When do the Ashes Tests Take Place?
The first Test between England and Australia takes place at Edgbaston in Birmingham, with that match running between 1-5 August.
There is then a short gap to the second Ashes Test which is scheduled to take place between 14-18 August. This will be held at Lord’s in London which is the most prestigious of cricket grounds in England.
The third Test Match will take place at Headingley in Leeds, with the event taking place between 22-26 August and this could be a pivotal match in the context of the series.
The fourth Test Match will be between 4-8 September, with England and Australia meeting at Old Trafford in Manchester.
The Ashes Test Series could still be up for grabs between 12-16 September when England clash with Australia at The Oval in London.
England Favourites to Reclaim Ashes
Despite a 4-0 drubbing Down Under, the bookmakers think England will take the beating this summer and bet365 offer 3/4 that the home side regain the miniature urn.
Home advantage has clearly become a deciding factor in recent years, with England winning the latest series 3-2 in 2015, while there was a straightforward 3-0 win in 2013.
Indeed, the last time that Australia won The Ashes in England was in 2001 when they triumphed by a 4-1 scoreline, although things have been a good deal tougher for the Baggy Greens since then.
The bookies anticipate it to be a fairly close Test Match series, with Australia trading at 7/4 to win the Ashes in England this summer and they’re sure to make it a competitive encounter thanks to their quality personnel.
The draw is trading at odds of 11/2 for those that expect it to be a close encounter, while punters will be able to bet on Correct Score, Top Batsman and Top Bowler as we get closer to the action.
Bet In-Play on the Ashes
Cricket is a brilliant sport when it comes to In-Play betting and that’s especially the case with Test Matches which span several days. Once the match starts, there are stacks of live betting markets available, with the odds constantly changing and punters have a chance to back outcomes on a short or long-term basis.
For example, you can bet on short-term In-Play Ashes cricket betting markets such as Number of Runs in Next Over, while you can also back which batsman will be next out and the method of the next wicket.
It’s also possible to Cash Out on Ashes betting markets. You might back England to win one of the Tests and find they are in a strong position so that you can Cash Out for a profit without having to wait for your bet to be settled.